I must admit, I got thoroughly surprised when I saw the phone's full specs sheet.

For a while, I thought the built-in 50-inch HD projector of Samsung Galaxy Beam is the only thing that makes it special. I mean, in hindsight - thinking about previous releases with 'special' features like a solar panel at the back or the more familiar dual SIM functionality - handset makers would usually scrimp on other specifications to compensate for the supposed value-added capability and keep prices down.

Now, what's hot about Samsung Galaxy Beam is that while it has that could-be-cool-yet-also-bordeline-gimmickybuilt-in HD projector - which you can use to project and watch movies or games on a wall - believe it or not, it's also a full-fledged smartphone. Almost surprisingly, the phone runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS with a Dual Core 1 GHz ARM Cortex A9 CPU, has 768 MB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, features a 5 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash and a high-definition video recorder, supports Wifi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity, and even flaunts a 4-inch SuperAMOLED display. When you think about it, Samsung Galaxy Beam has almost the same specifications of some flagship Android phones released last year.

So I guess if you're not really a fan of that projector, you can always check out this phone for its actual smartphone innards and features.

Samsung has yet to disclose Samsung Galaxy Beam's official suggested retail price and exact release date in the Asia Pacific region. Nut I'm guessing that the phone will land in the Philippines sometime in Q2 this year with price tag of around Php 20,000 - 25,000. Kindly stay tuned for updates.

In the meantime, to wrap up this entry in true TP fashion, I present the full specs of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Beam with Built-in HD Projector: